


the motion and the act

by loveandthetruth



Category: The Mentalist
Genre: Character Study, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-04
Updated: 2011-10-04
Packaged: 2017-10-24 07:33:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/260710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/loveandthetruth/pseuds/loveandthetruth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jane before Red John, and after.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the motion and the act

**Author's Note:**

> Between the idea / And the reality / Between the motion / And the act / Falls the Shadow

It gets both easier and harder with time.

Not that it was ever all that hard. It wasn’t like he’d never been arrogant, never pushed all the right buttons at the wrong time. But at least then there was charm and grace and care. _Patrick Jane’s a nice a guy. He’ll help you._

But afterwards, it doesn’t take him long to change all that. His words are as sharp as ever, but he’s not careful how he cuts any more. He makes a mess and plays dirty and get in trouble with the brass. _Go find that sonofabitch Patrick Jane. He’ll find out for you._

Back then, so soon after, it was easy to be a jerk twenty-four/seven but he’d feel guilty every time he did it. He’d make the widow cry and bite his lip against the compulsion to say something comforting.

That compulsion is long gone now. He can be as much of an asshole as he likes, and most days he won’t feel a damn thing. But now he slips and doesn’t catch himself until it’s too late. He’ll smile and charm and draw people back in. And then he’ll remember the blood on the wall and that he’s not safe to be around.


End file.
